The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 294: Someone Truly of the Opposite Gender

On the other side, Shien also more or less noticed something of how abnormal Lucy was acting.

(Just what's going on with this girl?)

Shien frowned minutely.

In the past, there was no way that Lucy would try to cajole and recruit him with all her might like that.

It's because a single misstep on her part may very well result in Shien believing that Lucy is only being friendly with him for the sake of his abilities.

There's of course no need to elaborate on Lucy's high status. Not only is she the Kingdom's princess, she's also one who is blessed by the Goddess of Fate, someone who even the gods have invited her to reside up in the divine realm. There's practically no one who can be said to have a higher status than her.

However, it's exactly because of her high status that Lucy's actions might be over-analyzed, and for various motivations be attributed to those actions.

Just like now. Lucy is trying to recruit Shien as the princess of the Kingdom now, so Shien may very well suspect her of having only approached her for that goal. That she only had her eyes on his abilities and wanted to use him, and not that she really did want to be his friend.

Those in high positions and are those who are overly famous will often end up with their actions over-analyzed like that. It's like the celebrities of his previous life. They can't do commonplace things that everyone else can because it will end up getting blown out of proportions by the people, and thus end up causing a scandal.

Due to this fact, Lucy would always purposefully avoid certain actions. She helped Shien out onesidedly, and even when she wanted Shien to help her out with something, she would always make sure to make it a private, personal request. Take when she asks Shien to bring her deserts or having Shien accompany her in running around outside the Capital to investigate the abnormalities in the surrounding areas for example, all of them were basically minor, harmless things.

This is also why Lucy tended to act so accommodating. Why she would refrain from asking Shien about a lot of things. Why she would unconditionally give him help without asking for the reason.

Shien does realized this point, which is why he felt so safe to play around and quarrel with Lucy like that. It's because he could see that Lucy really does want to connect with him from the bottom of her heart, and not because she's trying to grasp advantages and gains from him.

After all, didn't Lucy not say a thing even when Shien chose not to be a noble last time?

However, this time, for some reason, Shien felt like Lucy gave off a sense of desperation.

That's right, it's desperation.

Just why is that?

Shien can't understand it no matter what.

Being in such deep thought, Shien completely didn't see that Lia was also silently staring at Lucy from where she is at the side. Her eyes showed a glimmer of something, making it seem like she had some idea about it.

As for Charl, who had been standing silently behind Lia the whole time, she was just plain shocked.

After all, Shien wasn't the only one who noticed Lucy's desperation. Charl noticed as well.

This is the first time she's ever seen Lucy like that.

(Even if that man is indeed quite the talented individual, there's no need for Princess Lucy to go this far, is there?)

Charl doesn't understand at all.

However, Lucy doesn't need others to understand.

She only has one thought in her mind right now.

And that is to get Shien to become a noble.

Thus…

"If you don't want to become a noble because you're worried about being overly ordered about by the Kingdom, then I can personally guarantee to you that such a thing won't happen."

Lucy once again addressed Shien.

"You have my royal token. You should also understand full well my position within the Kingdom. There's no way that the Kingdom would risk angering me to do anything to you, right?"

Lucy's words there really did quite surprise Shien.

Never mind Shien, even Lia and Charl were shocked

The reason for that is simple.

This is the first time that they've ever seen Lucy show off her status like that.

Lucy has never brought out her status in an argument, nor has she never thrown its weight around like that before.

But now, Lucy did do it.

Plus, she didn't seem to have any real self awareness of what she just did. Instead, she was still acting like she's just casually chatting.

"Actually, even without me, there still won't be many people who would be willing to offend you for such a minor thing."

"You have the black dragon of Ataru at your side, and you yourself is an adventurer capable of subjugating even Baydr and Jilian of the Old Demon Faction. There's also the fact that you even somehow annihilated the Garibaldi family and their portion of the National Knight Order. Thus, not only is there's no way the Kingdom would order you about nilly willy, they'd instead treat you with great respect and seriousness."

"This isn't even mentioning the fact that you have a high leveled [Taming] skill. The Kingdom would definitely be worried over the possibility of you defecting to another country if they angered you."

"A master tamer with high leveled [Taming[ skill is very important to a country. The Kingdom only got its wyvern air force thanks to the work of the one we have now, and he's already quite old now and will likely lie sooner or later. Thus, in the eyes of the Kingdom, your talent definitely makes you the irreplaceable next master tamer."

"That's why the Kingdom values you so, why they want you to become a noble. Even father wanted to first gain your agreement before he confer upon you the title, not daring to simply order it directly in the audience chamber. For one, he's afraid that you might refuse again, and for two, it's because he didn't want to offend you."

Lucy tried to convince Shien over and over. Any outsider who sees her putting in so much effort like that would definitely be shocked at the sight.

Shien was already showing a difficult smile by now.

"You really want me to become a noble that badly?"

Shien let out a long breath, looked directly at Lucy, and asked Lucy in such a direct manner.

"Yes."

Lucy stopped for a moment first before nodding without hesitation while meeting Shien's eyes with a clear gaze.

Shien stopped talking for a moment.

Lucy also stopped trying to convince him. She just stared at Shien.

Lia and Charl exchanged a glance before also choosing to remain silent. They simply observed quietly.

The atmosphere here suddenly turned solemn, yet also somewhat strange.

It was only quite some time after that Shien finally let out a sigh. Then he spoke up again.

"Can you really guarantee that I won't be bogged down with too much troublesome stuff?"

Shien attempted to confirm that point.

Lucy lit up in joy.

She realized that Shien has budged somwhat.

Thus, Lucy immediately replied.

"So long as it's not something major that affects the very existence of the Kingdom, the I can guarantee that any matter that involves you will have to go through you first before anything's decided."

Lucy made the biggest promise with that.

This made Lia at the side show a bitter smile. She wanted to say something at that, but she also didn't know if she really should interrupt, and in the end, she could only give up on saying anything.

As for Shien, he had completely relaxed at that.

What else could he do?

The other side has already gone this far after all. In that case, Shien can understand no matter how dumb he might be. There must be some reason why Lucy was so adamant on wanting him to become a noble of this Kingdom.

There's no other possible way. After all, Lucy's promise will make it that the Kingdom won't be getting any advantages out of this at all.

This is equivalent to only promising gifts to Shien without asking for anything back at all. There's no way that the Kingdom could possibly do such a thing without some reason for it, right?

They would love for Shien to work and give his life for the Kingdom, so how could they possibly give out such a one-sided deal where Shien gets to have everything without giving anything back?

Isn't that the same as charity?

Yet, Lucy simply decided things on her own to do that for Shien.

In that case then, how could Shien possibly object anymore?

"… What kind of noble rank does the Kingdom plan on giving me?"

The words that Shien resignedly tossed out finally got Lucy to smile.

That pure smile from her heart was beautiful beyond measure, to the point where one could get lost in it.

Charl was entranced.

Even Lia ended up rather stunned at the sight, her eyes wavering.

And Shien had to admit one thing.

That being that his heart skipped a beat.

It was from that moment on that Shien was finally unable to continue treating Lucy as purely just a friend.

This tiny seed was thus planted, and one day, it will finally sprout.